Apparatus for making fire-kindlers



(NoModel.)

" v D. A. BERRY 8v N. B. .SPRAGUB APPARATUS FOR MAKINGVPIRE KINDL-ERS.No. 284,597..` vPatentedSept. '11, 1883.

Iliff@ M UNITED STATI-3s.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID A. BEERY AND NATHANIEL B. SPRAGUE, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FIRE-KINDLERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,597, dated,September 11, 1883,

l Application filed March 618,83. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID A. BEERY and NATHANIEL B. SPRAGUE, citizensof the United States, residing at Springeld, in the county of Clarke andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Making Fire-Kindlers; and we do declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in machines for makingre-kindlers. l

Our invention relates more particularly to the auxiliary devicesconnected with the press for forming fire-kindlers made of a compositionof sawdust, rosin, 8:0.

The object of our invention is to facilitate the process of manufacturein discharging the kindlers from the molds by causing the upperI dies tobe automatically elevated or withdrawn from the lower section of thesame, thus freeing the kindlers instantaneously from pressure andallowing them to be easily and quick-ly discharged from the molds; also,to provide means for easily removing the molds from under the press bymounting the frame upon a sliding platform carried upon a track, wherebythe operation of filling the molds, pressing the kindlers, and removingthe lower section containing them and discharging them from the same isaccelerated.

Figure l is a top view of our improved press-machine for makingfire-kindlers. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line x. Fig.3 is a front elevation in section through line y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aView of the under side of the platform-slide.

rIhe machine consists of a frame-work of timbers, supporting a platformor table, a., which forms the bed for the molds. On this platform arefastened two parallel rails, c, which extend from the front of theplatform to the rear, or nearly so, being turned upward at the ends toform stops for the sliding bed b, upon which the lower or matrix mold isplaced. This bed consists of a broad plank of oak, (or it may be ofcast-iron,) provided on its under side with the projecting right-angledguides b b', of which there are two at either side, as seen in Fig. 2,and in the detail view7 Fig. 4. This bed plate or plank has a transverseslot or hand-hole at the front end, by, which it is drawn out from underthe following-block e of the press. Block e is square in its generaloutline, and is.Y made thick enough to withstand the pressure given bythe operation'of the lever 7L and the 'cam t', which latter has itsbearing upon the block e. Cam i is cast in one piece with its axle i andits arm 7c. The axle z/ is pivoted at either end in plates upon thestandards g of the lframe, which extend above the platform, upon eitherside, and are connected by a cross-beam above. The lever h is fastenedupon the arm la of the cam by a pair of stirrup-irons, l, being madeadjustable in its length by means of them.

rlhe following-block c is suspended above the mold upon the fourguide-postsf, which extend up through each of its corners, by thepressure of the spiral springs f, (there being one around each post,)extending from the bottom to the top of the same. The posts f arecylindrical, and the following-block e slides easily up and down uponthe1n,but is kept at the top ofthe posts when released from the pressureof the lever, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Upon the under side of the blocke is fastened the upper section or counterpart, a, of the molds,.whichfits into the lower section, n, when pressed down over the cores of thedies. A portion of the dies is shown in Figs. l and 2. These havestar-shaped cores, and are fully shown in the former patent of D. A.Beery, February l5, 1881, No. 237,804, on fire-kindler molds.

In operating the machine the lower section, n, is first iilled with thekindler composition, and it is placed upon the slide b, which haspreviously been drawn out to the front stop, d, of the rails c. Afterlbeing placed thereon it is pushed back under the following-block e untilthe rear guide-blocks strike the stops d at the back ends of the rails,when it is in position to receive the upper section of the mold, whichis pressed down by the lever and cam to the required degree. As soon asthe pressure is removed the following-block e, with the upper dies, isautomatically elevated, and the latter withdrawn from the lower onesbythe action of the springs I, which push the follow- IOO ing-bleek backto the top of the posts f, thus releasing the lower section of the mold,which contains the pressed kindlers7 and allowing it to be removed anddischarged, as before stated.

We are aware'that the cam-lever and sliding platform have been beforeused in printingpresses, &e., and we do Inot therefore claim them as ourinvention; but the specific ar rangement of the parts and theirapplication 1o for the purpose described we believe to be new;

therefore We claim as our invention- The combination7 with eain t', eastwith its axle t" and arm k in a single piece, the standards g, and theplatform a, having parallel I5 DAVID A. BEERY. NATHANIEL B. SPRAGUE.

Vitnesses:

- B. C. CONVERSE,

WAsHINGToN WARD.

